Portable ironing board



Jan. 10, 1956 1.. CROZIER PORTABLE IRONING BOARD Filed March 24, 1953 IIIIIII'II INVENTOR. M ATTORNEYS.

Fig.4-

PORTABLE IRONING BOARD Leroy Crozier, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Crosier-Johns Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a partnership Application March 24, 1953, Serial No. 344,379

6 Claims. (Cl. 38-112) This invention relates to portable ironing boards, and is particularly directed to the combination of a portable ironing board and a luggage like casing, by means of which the ironing board may conveniently be transported from place to place.

In recent years, perhaps partially due to the advent of motels located in relatively isolated areas, and also because of the high charges and delayed service of some regular pressing establishments, the practice of travelers pressing their own garments has become increasingly widespread. Several different portable ironing boards have been proposed for use by such travelers. However, none of these boards has proved to be totally satisfactory in use. In general, these portable ironing boards have been of one of two types; first, those which are intended to be carried in a piece of regular luggage along with clothes and other traveling articles; and secondly, those boards which are provided with their own containers.

The first group of portable ironing boards has not met with widespread acceptance primarily because the space which they occupy within the luggage is already at a premium, and the utility of the ironing board is more than offset by the loss in luggage space. Furthermore, considerable difiiculty has been experienced in supporting the boards while in use; for it is difiicult to mount them on desks or bureaus in such a manner that they will be firmly held in place without marring, or otherwise damaging, the furniture. While some of these boards have been provided with their own supporting structure, this structure has been cumbersome and relatively complex, so that it made the board-s bulky and substantially raised their cost.

The portable ironing boards of the second group have also been subject to the disadvantage that the mechanisms provided for supporting the ironing board in the use position are relatively complex, and consequently the boards United States r are quite expensive to produce. Furthermore, the ironing board and its supports occupy almost the entire area within the casing, leaving no room for the iron and other equipment needed for pressing.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a portable ironing board and easing, into which the ironing board may be placed for carrying it from place to place. The casing is very compact, nevertheless, when the ironing board is folded and placed in the casing there is considerable storage space left for any of the small traveling irons now being produced, as well as all of the other accessories employed in ironing such as pressing cloths, sprinklers, extension cords and the like.

One of the principal advantages of the present construction is that the casing itself is arranged to support the ironing board in the ironing position. Thus, all of the complicated mounting structures heretofore employed are eliminated. As a result, the ironing board and casing are not only extremely economical to produce, but there is no supporting mechanism to take up room within 2,729,905 Patented .lan. 10, 1956 ice the casing which can otherwise advantageously be used for the storage of ironing accessories.

More specifically, the present invention is predicated upon the concept of providing a casing of generally rectangular cross section including a removable lid; a foldable ironing board is mounted directly on the underside of the lid. The lid is recessed between the side and end walls of the casing and a support, preferably in the form of a narrow ledge mounted on the inner surface of the side or end walls, is provided for holding the lid flush with the edges of the walls. The lid is adapted to be removed and replaced within thecasing in an inverted position in which the ironing board is exposed, the supporting ledge again being effective to hold the lid within the case.

For traveling purposes, the lid is placed in its normal position, and the foldable ironing board, mounted upon the under-side of the lid, is completely enclosed Within the casing. When it is desired to use the board, the lid is removed and replaced within the casing in its inverted position, exposing the ironing board. The board is constructed in two sections, thefirst being secured directly to the lid, the other section being hinged to the first. After the lid is inverted, the hinged section is swung outwardly to provide an over-hanging, or protruding, surface. This surface, as will readily be appreciated, greatly facilitates the ironing of skirts, sleeves, and other articles of clothing.

One of the chief advantages of an ironing board and easing constructed in accordance with this invention is that there are no legs or other bracing mechanisms needed to support the ironing board in its use position; rather the casing itself supports the board. As a result, the ironing board and easing are of an extremely simple construction, and consequently can be manufactured very inexpensively.

A further advantage of this construction resides in the fact that when the lid is closed, and the board is in its transportation position, thetwo hinged ironing board portions lie flat against the lid. There are no supporting members extending back and forth within the casing; and consequently, considerable space is available for carrying a portable iron and other articles for use in conjunction with it.

These and other advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a portable ironing board and casing constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross'sectional view of the ironing board showing the manner in which the foldable board fits within the casing.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, similar to Figure 2, showing the lid in its inverted position in the casing prior to the extension of the board.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the ironing board in its extended position. I

Figure 5 is a detailed view of one form of clip arrange ment for releasably securing the lid.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the ironing board. Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a portable ironing board and easing constructed in accordance with this invention. As shown, casing 10 is rectangular in cross section, and generally resembles an ordinary piece of personal luggage. The casing is preferably constructed of a lightweight material such as plastic, aluminum, or wood, and may be covered with leather or other material to enhance its appearance; it includes a bottom 11, sides lzand l3, and ends 14 and 15. it p A lid 16, preferably formed on the largest face of the casing, is recessed within the confines of the side and end walls, and is preferably positioned so that its outer surface lies flush with the top edges of the walls. One end of the lid is held in place by means of lip 17 which is mounted on end wall 14 and overlies the lid. The other end of the lid is releasably held in place by means of a suitable clip arrangement 18 disposed at the opposite end of the casing. The clip arrangement and lip construction will be describedin greater detail below. A finger ring 20, or other suitablemember, is provided for lifting the lid from the casing. As best shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the casing is provided with a plurality of lid supporting members for example, ledges 21 disposed along the interior of the two end walls at points spaced downwardly from their upper edges. Ledges 21 engage marginal portions of the lid both in its closed position shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in the inverted position of Figures 3, 4 and 6. Obviously, other support members could be used in place of the two ledges; for instance a plurality of angle brackets could be secured to the inner walls of the casing, and provided with arms extending inwardly at pointsspaced downwardly from the upper edges of the walls.

A foldable ironing board 22 is secured to the undersurface 23 of the lid 16 in any suitable manner, such as by bolting or gluing, and is preferably spaced from the lid by means of a sheet of insulating material 24, in the form of a strip or asbestos, fiber board, or the like.

The ironing board 22 is constituted by two sections, a main section 25, and an extension section 26, which are hinged together at their juxtaposed edges. Each section is preferably constructed of a lightweight material such as plywood or a perforated metal, and is provided with suitable padding and a. cloth covering 28. The precise details of the padding and coveringconstitute no part of the present invention. It will suffice here to say that the cloth coveringis held in place over the board sections in any suitable manner, such as by a peripheral elastic band. Main ironing board section 25 is secured directly to the lid, as explained above, and is preferably rectangular in cross section, and of substantially the same size as the lid in order to provide a maximum ironing surface.

Section 26 is hinged to main section 25 by any suitable hinge arrangement, such as heavy leather strap 27 (Figure 3) which is secured to the upper surface of each of the two ironing board sections. Extension section 26 is adapted to pivot about the hinge into a position in which its top surface is coplanar with the top surface of the main section, and the two hinged edges are in abutment to form a continuous ironing surface. Suitable means are provided for holding the two ironing board sections in this coplanar relationship. As shown, the means provided include a foot 30 pivotally secured to the underside of extension section 26 by means of bracket 31. Other support means could be provided if desired, for example, a sliding shelf could be secured to the lid in such a manner that when section 26 is pivoted outwardly, the shelf is pulled outwardly into engagement with the undersurface of the extension section. Preferably, extension section 26 is tapered to facilitate the ironing of shirt sleeves, and the like. V

The preferred embodiment of the casing 10, shown in the drawings, includes a transverse wall 32 extending across the interior of the casing, and terminating at a point spaced downwardly from the upper edges of the V casing walls, sufiiciently' far to accommodate the ironing board when the lid is in the closed position. Wall 32 defines a compartment of a size sufficient to accommodate a folding flat iron 33 shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The wall also forms asecond compartment 34 for storing accekssories such as pressing cloths, extension cords, and the H e.

The casing isalso preferably provided with a conventional handle 35 secured to end wall 15 by means of brackets 36. End wall 15 also carries resilient clip 18, adapted for engagement with a cooperating member 38 carried on the undersurface of the lid. A suitable opening 40 is provided in ledge 21 to permit the engagement of these parts when the lid is closed. This particular clip construction constitutes no part of the present invention and any other suitable means for releasably securing the lid to end member 15 can be employed. The opposite end of the lid is held in place by means of lip 17 which is preferably a right-angled member including a portion secured to the inner surface of end wall 14, and an inwardly extending portion spaced upwardly from ledge 21 a sufiicient distance to accommodate lid 16.

When it is desired to transport the ironing board from place to place, an iron 33 is placed within the compartment defined by wall 32, and the other necessary articles are placed within chamber 34. One end of the lid is then inserted between the upper end of the ledge, and lip 17 and bracket 38 is snapped into engagement with resilient clip 18. If desired, the hinge portion of the ironing board may be held in the position in which it is folded back over main section 25 by means of a cord and hook arrangement 41, the cord being fastened to the undersurface of section 26, and the hook being adapted to engage one end of section 25.

When it is desired to use the board, finger ring 20 is grasped, releasing clip 18, and the lid is slid free from engagement with lip 17. The board is then removed from the casing and inverted. Next, one end of the lid is again inserted between ledge 21 and lip 17, and the remaining portion of the lid dropped into contact with the ledge associated with the opposite wall. This position is shown in Figure 3. Finally, the extension section 26 is pivoted outwardly about the hinge, and leg 30 is rotated at right angles to the lid into a position in which it is adapted to engage the table or other support surface.

vIt will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many-minor modifications can be made within the scope of this invention. For example, it is contemplated that metallic hinges can be employed in lieu of the leather strap, various other clips can be used, and different means can be provided for supporting the extension section in the ironing position.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. The combination of a portable ironing board and a casing, said casing being of substantially rectangular cross section and including a bottom, side walls and end walls upstanding from the bottom and having upper'edges, a rectangular lid including an undersurface, said lid being configurated so as to be recessible within said side and end Walls, support members secured to the inner surface of at least two of said walls and including support surfaces extending inwardly from said walls, said support surfaces being spaced downwardly from the upper edges of'said walls and being adapted for engagement with peripheral portions of said lid, a foldable ironing board including a main section securedto the undersurface of said lid and an extension section hinged to said main section,'said lid being adapted to be supported in an inverted position by said support members, and when said lid is inverted said extension section being adapted to be pivoted outwardly into coplanar relationship with the main section, means associated with said casing for releasably securing said lid in its recessed position.

2. The combination of a portable ironing board and a casing, said casing being of substantially rectangular cross section and including a bottom, side walls and end walls upstanding from the bottom and having upper edges, a rectangular lid including an undersurface, said lid being configurat'ed so as to be recessible within said side and end walls, support members secured to the inner surface of at least two of said walls and including support surfaces extending inwardly from said walls, said support surfaces being spaced downwardly from the upper edges of said walls and being adapted for engagement with peripheral portions of said lid, a foldable ironing board including a main section secured to the undersurface of said lid and an extension section hinged to said main section, said lid being adapted to be supported in an inverted position by said support members and when said lid is inverted said extension section being adapted to be pivoted outwardly into coplanar relationship with the main section, means associated with said casing for releasably securing said lid in its recessed position, and means for releasably maintaining said extension section in coplanar relationship with said main section.

3. The combination of a portable ironing board and a casing, said casing being of substantially rectangular cross section and including a bottom, side walls and end walls upstanding from the bottom and having upper edges, a rectangular lid including an undersurface, said lid being configurated so as to be recessible Within said side and end Walls, support members secured to the inner surface of at least two of said walls and including support surfaces extending inwardly from said walls, said support surfaces being spaced downwardly from the upper edges of said walls and being adapted for engagement with peripheral portions of said lid, a foldable ironing board including a main section secured to the under-surface of said lid and an extension section hinged to said main section, said lid being adapted to be supported in an inverted position by said support members and when said lid is inverted said extension section being adapted to be pivoted outwardly into coplanar relationship with the main section, means for securing said lid in said recessed position, said means comprising a lip associated with one wall of said casing and disposed to overlie said lid when said lid is in its recessed position, and means associated with a wall of said casing remote from said lip, for releasable engagement with said lid.

4. The combination of a portable ironing board and a casing, said casing being of substantially rectangular cross section, and including a bottom, side walls, and end walls, a rectangular lid, said lid being configurated so as to cooperate with said side and end walls to enclose said casing, said lid including an undersurface normally disposed Within said casing, said lid being removable from said casing and being adapted for replacement in an inverted position in which said undersurface is exposed, support members disposed within said casing and engage able with peripheral portions of said lid for supporting said lid within said casing, a foldable ironing board including a main section secured to the undersurface of said lid, an extension section hinged to said main section, and adapted to be pivoted outwardly into coplanar relationship with the main section when said lid is mounted in said casing in an inverted position, means associated with said casing for releasably securing said lid in place.

5. The combination of a portable ironing board and a casing, said casing being of substantially rectangular cross section, and including a bottom, side walls, and end walls, a rectangular lid, said lid being configurated so as to cooperate with said side and end walls to enclose said casing, said lid including an undersurface normally disposed within said casing, said lid being removable from said casing and being adapted for replacement in an inverted position in which said undersurface is exposed, support members disposed within said casing and engageable with peripheral portions of said lid for supporting said lid within said casing, a foldable ironing board including a main section secured to the undersurface of said lid, an extension section hinged to said main section, and adapted to be pivoted outwardly into coplanar relationship with the main section when said lid is mounted in said casing in an inverted position, means associated with said casing for releasably securing said lid in place, and means for supporting said extension section in said co planar relationship with said main section.

6. The combination of a portable ironing board and a casing, said casing being of substantially rectangular cross section, and including a bottom, side walls, and end walls, a rectangular lid, said lid being adapted for engagement with said side and end walls to enclose said casing, said lid including an undersurface normally disposed within said casing, said lid being removable from engagement with said walls, and being adapted for reengagernent with said walls in an inverted position in which said undersurface is exposed, support members disposed within said casing and engageable with peripheral portions of said lid for supporting said lid within said casing, a foldable ironing board including a main section secured to the undersurface of said lid, an extension section hinged to said main section, and adapted to be pivoted outwardly into coplanar relationship with the main section when said lid is mounted in said casing in an inverted position, means for securing said lid in engagement with said walls, said means comprising a lip associated with one Wall of said casing and disposed to overlie said lid when said lid is in engagement with said walls, and means associated with a wall of said casing remote from said lip for releasable engagement with said lid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,365,139 Winitowy Jan. 11, 1921 2,473,047 Bershad Jan. 4, 1949 2,516,235 Morgan July 25, 1950 2,603,011 Plumb July 15, 1952 2,630,639 Krnonk Mar. 10, 1953 

